NEWS IN SHORT
Hitherto on a retained basis, Cupar’s Firemaster, Mr. R.Bett, has been placed on the professional establishment of the brigade.
(Fire, December, 1940. page 118.)

The retirement is announced of Mr Robert Bett. Mr Bett was Firemaster of Cupar, Fife, at the time of the nationalisation of the Fire Service during the last war. Since 1948 Mr Bett has held the rank of Retained Sub Officer in Fife Fire Brigade. He recently celebrated his 70 birthday.
(Fire magazine, April 1955.)

CUPAR

Cupar, being the County town of the Kingdom of Fife, has always been to the fore in showing an example, and not least in the field of firefighting.
Records show that as early as 1880, Cupar had a volunteer Fire Brigade which was equipped with a barrow containing water buckets, hose and branches. This volunteer Fire Brigade existed for a number of years and did some sterling work for the County seat. Further progress came when insurance Companies started taking an interest in firefighting when they provided equipment and paid men on a retained basis to answer fire calls.
Then we had the ludicrous situation of fire crews returning home without fighting a fire because the company was not insured. To overcome this situation, Local Authorities took over control of Fire Brigades and they became much more efficient units and were supplied with modern equipment.
Cupar received their first steam pumping engine in 1916 and had a retained or part-time crew who were paid 1/6d when they answered a call, and in an effort to speed up attendance, the first man at the Engine House received 2/6d.
With the introduction of the petrol engine, fire engines were further modernised and Cupar received the first petrol driven fire engine, equipped with pneumatic tyres, in 1929. This arrangement was in existence until the 2nd World War, when Cupar was absorbed into the National Fire Service, a situation which was to continue until 1947, when Fire Brigades were returned to Local authorities’ under the control of the Fife Fire Area Joint Committee, which became the Police and Fire Committee on regionalisation.
Progress and a forward looking Committee are responsible for this ceremony today and you can see a very modern Fire Station with all the required amenities and also provided with two of the modern fire appliances, stocked with up to date equipment.
(From and article given to me by Ken Reid)

The Fife Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

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